A Christmas Card Greeting from Terri Anne Browning's Demon's Wing Family

From the Demon’s Wing family…..

Emmie

I wasn’t the least bit amused with my guys today. We had been sitting in front of my computer with the “Make your own Personalized Christmas Cards” software up and running for nearly an hour. They were shouting out possible one liners that would look nice on our Christmas card. The picture I had chosen was of us all sitting on Jesse and Layla’s long couch in their living room after Thanksgiving dinner the night before.

Mia and I were on Nik’s lap while Drake and Lana took up one end of the couch and Harper and Shane the other end. Jesse and Layla were standing behind us, their arms around each other smiling that happy smile I loved so much, and Lucy sat in the floor in front of us all. It was a good picture. Not one that you would expect these hard core rock stars to be sending out for their Christmas card. But what the hell!

“Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.” Nik offered for the fifth time.

Jesse was quick to offer the same one liner that he had been repeating over and over to go along with Nik’s. “From our family to yours.”

Drake was next. “We wish you a Merry Christmas…. And all that shit.” I gritted my teeth, but chose to stay calm. Why hadn’t I just asked my girls to help with this? Lana would have been much better help than her grumpy husband today.

Was it my fault that Black Friday shopping was something that Layla, Harper, and Lana enjoyed? No. No it sure as fuck wasn’t. I was the sane one after all. I did all of my shopping from home on Cyber Monday.  

“Bro, we can’t put that on our Christmas card!” Shane chastised his brother.

Drake snorted. “Then what do you think we should put on it? A picture of your dick dressed up like a Christmas present?”

Yeah, that was probably what all the fans were wanting. And probably not on the front of a Christmas card, but in real life. Fortunately—or unfortunately for his crazy ass fans—Shane now had Harper, and she had tamed the one guy I was sure was untamable. Which meant that I was going to get to send out the nice cards and not the XXX-rated ones that I had been forced to produce in the past.

“Momma!”

I raised my head. Mia had gotten bored with the puzzle that was spread out on the carpet in my office. “What is Christmas about?”

I bit my lip, not sure how to answer my two year old. Did I tell her the long version? The one that told her about God and Jesus and the manger stuff that the preacher that used to come to my house when I was kid had told me? Or the one that was simple and explained that it was about Santa and bringing presents. It wasn’t easy to decide what to share with her yet. Mia was smart, crazy smart. She had been talking in full sentences for a few months now. Knew her ABC’s and could count all the way to twenty. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for more questions that revolved around religion or even about Santa and his elves.

Nik scooped Mia up into his arms. “Christmas is about being with the ones you love, baby doll. It’s about giving others your love and understanding. It’s about family.”

“Oh…” Mia was thinking behind those big green eyes and I could only imagine what question was going to come out of her mouth next. “So Uncle Shane and Uncle Drake and Uncle Jesse? And Auntie Layla and Auntie Lana and Auntie Harper?”

“Yes.”

“Uncle Ax?”

Nik grinned. “Even Uncle Ax.”

“But…That’s every day, Daddy.”

“So it is.” Nik nodded. “But...On Christmas we show how much we love each other by giving them presents.”

“Oh. Okay.” She wiggled down from her father’s arms and ran out of my office as quickly as her little legs could take her.

I turned my attention back to the computer screen and the card. Nik had handled that remarkably well. I was just surprised that Mia hadn’t asked more questions. Her pre-school had taught her that she would never know anything unless she asked questions. So she asked questions constantly. I was sure I was going to go crazy before long if the questions didn’t stop soon.

“I still think you should just put Merry Christmas on it and be done with it.” Drake grumbled.

I was ready to agree with him, was about to type just that across the bottom of the card when I heard the metallic sound of Mia’s wagon coming down the hall. Frowning I stood and met my daughter at the door. She had five of her favorite stuffed animals in her wagon, pulling them along with a determined look on her beautiful little face. “Mia Nicole Armstrong! Where do you think you are going with those toys?”

“It’s Christmas time, Momma.” She careful pushed past me and parked the wagon in front of the chairs her uncles were sitting in. “I want everyone to know how much I love them.”

My mouth dropped open as I stood there watching as Mia carefully took out a stuffed animal—a rabbit that she had always slept with. She hugged it tight and then handed it over to Shane. “Merry Christmas, Uncle Shane.”

“Mia… She’s your favorite.” His voice was choked up.

“But Daddy said that we give presents to the people we love at Christmas. I love you Uncle Shane…” Her big eyes went to me, as if she were asking me “Am I doing it right, Momma?”

Fighting tears I sucked in a deep breath and crouched down beside of my beautiful daughter. Gods, was I actually doing a good job after all? Mia was so very young but she was so very caring. “You don’t have to give out your favorite stuffies for your uncles to know you love them, Mia.” I pulled her close, kissing the top of her sweet smelling head. “Tell you what… Daddy and I will take you shopping. You can buy your uncles and aunties anything you want. That way you can keep your stuffies and they will still get presents.”

“Now?” She asked, excitement replacing the disappointment that had been there just a moment ago. “Please, Momma?”

I hated Black Friday shopping, but for Mia I would have moved Heaven and Earth for her. So the answer was simple. “Of course.” I glanced at my guys. All of them had glassy eyes and a look of pride on their faces. I couldn’t take full credit of Mia being so great. If it weren’t for those four rock stars then I wouldn’t have turned out worth shit. “You guys fix the card. Mia and I are going shopping.”

So of course the Christmas card ended up saying:

 

Have a Rockin’ Christmas, Bitches!